Thank You

I want to offer my heartfelt gratitude to all of you who read and follow this site. The last few weeks have been a time of trial and upheaval. It’s been a confrontation against those things that hold me back and/or no longer serve to push me forward. It’s been a confrontation against my fear and anxiety, against my anger and prejudice. It’s been a quest for my identity, both mortal and spiritual. This fight has been raging inside me for a most of my life to the point where I could no longer contain it. Today I feel like the final battle is finally won. I’ve at long last come to terms with my transgender identity and all that implies. My spiritual path… still a work in progress, but who among us can say otherwise? Even the saints and mystics the world over struggled to achieve and to maintain their piety. I certainly don’t consider myself on that level. I’m happy merely to say I have friends in all walks of life who believe in a variety of beautiful ideas. I’ll pull inspiration from all of those ideas as I can, just as I always have.

Let me dwell on that idea for a moment. “I’m happy…” That in itself is a blessing of such magnitude. Finally free of fear, of anger, of sadness. To embrace hope.

I could not have gotten this far without my friends on my side of the screen, and I could not do it without my friends in the blogosphere. If you’re reading this right now, I’m talking about YOU. You’re awesome. I’ve received some amazing levels of support. It’s been… life affirming.

If anyone has had any criticism, they’ve held silent on this front. That must be difficult. I don’t want anyone to feel like I’ve bullied them into silence. If anyone understands what that’s like, it’s me, so I’d be horrified if anyone thought I was doing that in return. I want my site to be a safe haven for the constructive perpetuation of ideas, the freedom of speech, if you will. We are all equals here. I value well-considered opinions whether or not I may agree with them. Likewise, I welcome honest questions from those who seek honest answers. I spent a lifetime with questions that no one could answer simply because I was too hesitant to ask.

Also, I’ve gained a few more followers to this site. I have no idea if this is the ride you thought you were signing up for, but welcome all the same.

That’s enough babbling for this post. Again, thank you all so much for your kindness and encouragement. I specifically want to thank my Christian friends who continue to prove to me that my past experiences are not indicative of the whole. You’re a credit to your faith.

2 thoughts on “Thank You”

I’m glad Troy. Why is it that some artists I have read about seem able to channel their inner idiosyncrasies into an intensity of creativity that they claim they can never recreate when their depression has lifted? I just want to know how they do that…it might be possible that many would benefit from a more holistic, spiritual understanding of themselves. Jung said that he had never treated anyone over the age of thirty who did not benefit from finding some sort of spiritual understanding or path.

That’s a curious question. I’ve asked myself that a time or two, but without having been out from under the cloud of depression, I always assumed it was because depression was the muse they needed to fight against. Once the fight is over, the soldier moves on. That never quite seemed like a satisfactory answer, though. Creativity is an engine. You’d think happiness or well-being could fuel it as much as any dark cloud. Monet certainly fed his with a waterlily pond. I think Jung is right. What is spirituality if not the means by which we reconcile our place in life experiences?